WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Jewish teens, in grades 9 through 12, are invited to apply to join the B'nai Tzedek Youth Foundation, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, where teens learn about, and participate in, philanthropy.

Teens begin the program by discussing issues that are important to them, and developing a group mission statement. They later meet leaders of area Jewish organizations to learn about the grant-making process, and discover important work being done by local, national, and international non-profit organizations.

To obtain the funds needed for the allocations, teens achieve a fund-raising goal, which is later matched dollar-for-dollar by the Grinspoon foundation. The youth foundation solicits and reviews project proposals from Jewish organizations around the world, and makes collective decisions about which projects to fund.

In 2012-13, the teens allocated funds locally to Jewish Family Service, in Springfield, to provide household supplies to refugees in Western Mass; Lander-Grinspoon Academy, in Northampton, to support a year-long food justice project; and Rachel's Table, in Springfield, in support of their gleaning program to maximize the fall harvest of area vegetables for the needy.

Funds were also allocated nationally and internationally to Orr Shalom, in Israel, to provide basic living supplies to at-risk children in that country; Kulanu Inc., in New York City, for a school nutrition program in Israel; Be'chol Lashon, in San Francisco, who coordinated a teen peer education program in Uganda; and Footsteps Inc., in New York City, a career advancement program that helps ultra-religious individuals enter the mainstream workforce.

The youth foundation meets one Sunday per month, November through April, 2014. Applications will be accepted until Oct. 15. For more information and to apply, visit http://bit.ly/BTYF2013-14.